Dropping to one nap: when babies are ready, and how to make the switch

The two-to-one nap transition is one of the bigger shifts of the second year. Done at the right time, it can free up your day. Done too early, it can leave you with an overtired toddler and broken nights. Here’s how to tell when your child is ready, and how to make the move gently.

When do babies drop to one nap?

Most babies move from two naps to one somewhere between about 12 and 18 months. The HSE notes that children usually have one nap in the middle of the day from around 12 to 15 months (HSE). Its age-by-age guide still shows two naps at one year and one nap by 18 months (HSE). Many children land somewhere in between.

Signs your child might be ready

Look for a consistent pattern over about two weeks, not a few off days:

• They regularly refuse one of their naps (often the afternoon one), or take ages to fall asleep for it
• The morning nap is long and the afternoon nap keeps getting pushed too late
• Bedtime has become a battle, or they’re lying awake for a long time
• They’ve started waking very early, or waking at night for long, cheerful spells
• They cope well on days when only one nap happens

Signs it’s probably not time yet

• Your child is under about 12 months
• They’re unwell, teething, or just learning to walk (a common cause of temporary nap strikes; see 12 month regression)
• On one-nap days, they’re falling apart by mid-afternoon and waking overnight

How to make the switch

1. Push the morning nap later, gradually

Move the first nap 15 to 30 minutes later every few days until it’s around midday, say 11.30am to 12.30pm. A mid-morning snack helps bridge the gap.

2. Let the nap be long

A single nap is often 1½ to 2½ hours. Let your child sleep, ideally finishing by about 3pm, so bedtime isn’t pushed late. The HSE advises avoiding naps after 3.30pm (HSE).

3. Bring bedtime forward

For the first few weeks, a bedtime 30 to 60 minutes earlier than usual can stop overtiredness building up.

4. Allow a bridge on hard days

If your child is obviously struggling, a short second nap in the late afternoon, or an earlier bedtime, is completely fine. Transitions are rarely a straight line.

Sample days

Before (two naps), about 12–14 months

Time
7:00	Wake
9:45–11:00	Nap 1
2:30–3:30	Nap 2
7:00–7:30	Bedtime

After (one nap), about 13–18 months

Time
7:00	Wake
9:30	Snack
12:00–2:30	Nap
6:30–7:00	Bedtime (earlier during the transition)

How much daytime sleep is enough?

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 11 to 14 hours of total sleep in 24 hours for 1–2 year olds (Paruthi et al., 2016). If your toddler sleeps 11 to 12 hours at night, a 1½ to 2 hour nap fits comfortably.

And after that?

One nap usually sticks around for a good while. A large review of napping studies found fewer than 2.5% of children stop napping before 2, while most stop somewhere between 3 and 5 (Staton et al., 2020). More in when do toddlers stop napping.